CVE-2010-3801 in QuickTime
Summary
by MITRE
Apple QuickTime before 7.6.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted FlashPix file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
Apple QuickTime versions prior to 7.6.9 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through maliciously crafted FlashPix files. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the QuickTime media processing engine when handling specially constructed FlashPix image files. The flaw manifests as a buffer overflow condition that occurs during the parsing of malformed FlashPix metadata, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability impacts both local and remote attack scenarios where a user might inadvertently open or preview a malicious FlashPix file through QuickTime's media handling capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. Attackers can leverage this weakness through the ATT&CK technique T1203, known as "Exploitation for Client Execution," by delivering malicious FlashPix files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The memory corruption specifically targets QuickTime's image processing routines that lack proper bounds checking when parsing the structured data within FlashPix files, which use a proprietary format based on the TIFF specification but extended with additional metadata fields.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to encompass full system compromise potential. When a vulnerable QuickTime application processes the malicious FlashPix file, the memory corruption can lead to application crashes, system instability, or complete system exploitation depending on the execution environment and memory layout. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because FlashPix files can be embedded within web pages or delivered through email, making them difficult to detect and prevent through traditional security measures. This makes the attack surface particularly broad, affecting not only individual users but also enterprise environments where QuickTime is commonly deployed for multimedia content delivery.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of all affected QuickTime installations to version 7.6.9 or later, which includes enhanced input validation and memory protection mechanisms. Organizations should implement network-based security controls such as content filtering and web application firewalls to block malicious FlashPix file attachments and prevent automatic execution of media content. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of QuickTime components to trusted environments only. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management and input validation in multimedia processing libraries, reinforcing industry best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for preventing buffer overflow exploits. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other media processing components that may be susceptible to similar memory corruption attacks.